President’s Message Mr. Dennis Gill

Well! We are closing in on the last portion of “Official Winter”, the hours of daylight are increasing and Spring 2022 is just around the corner. Thank the Lord.

Since last Fall, a lot has been happening at Inclusion Canada Newfoundland and Labrador. Yes,we changed our name from the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living! The motion was made by Mrs. Joan Stamp, age 96, of Labrador City, who was with Mrs.Vera Perlin way back in 1956 when the “Association for the Mentally Retarded” was formed. Wow! Cristen Tizzard, age 23, of Springdale, seconded the motion, and it was unanimously carried by those present at a Board Meeting in St. John’s on 18 September 2021. What a wonderful way to begin the next 65 years assisting, and advocating for, persons with intellectual disabilities, and their families, in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Two days prior, at the Capital Hotel on Kenmount Road, Strategic Plan 2022-2025 was developed, and what a spectacular plan it is. Kudos to Facilitator Eleanor Dawson, Executive Director Hope Colbourne, and all who participated from across our province; execution of the Plan will begin on April 01.

On September 17 at 8:00 am, the Board attended a breakfast, sponsored by Ready Willing & Able [a national initiative committed to helping Canadian employers find ideal candidates who are readily equipped to enter the workplace] at the Bally Haly Country Club. There were Remarks by Hon. John Abbott [Minister of Children, Seniors, and Social Development], FrankFagan [National Program Manager, Operations], Taylor Cassell [Labour Market Facilitator], ED Hope, and Yours Truly. The Minister and I appeared on NTV Evening News that day!

Next, at 11:00 am, we met with Her Honour The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Patron ofInclusion Canada Newfoundland and Labrador, and had a guided tour of Government House. During the afternoon, we reviewed the progress and development of our new Social Enterprise with Project Coordinator Tony Janes.

October 06 was “World Cerebral Palsy Day”, and in Pilley’s Island, Roxann, Danny, and I donned our green T-shirts, had a sing-along, and lunch, and posted the attached photo on Facebook to help publicize the international event.

Inclusion Canada had scheduled face-to-face meetings, which Hope and I were to attend, in Ottawa, December 2-3-4. However, due to the “Covid State”, they were held via Zoom, meeting virtually with our NL MPs for “Day on The Hill”, with Provincial/Territorial Presidents and Executive Directors, and for the Annual General Meetings of IRIS, the Foundation, and Inclusion Canada. At the latter, I was elected to represent our province on the Board for 2022. Numerous ZOOM meetings have been held, and a fantastic amount of extremely productive work has been doneduring the past 6 months on various agenda items; others will report on them; thank-you.

They include, but are not limited to, the following, in random order: Right To Decide, SET Mentoring, Ready-Willing-Able, Finances, Community Inclusion, Human Resources, Supportive Living and Housing, Growing The (Board’s) Future, History Project, 65th Anniversary Conference, Biannual Meetings with Minister Abbott, Future Planning for Persons with Intellectual Challenges, and regularLiaison Meetings with four Departments of Government.

In closing, I have to say that I was honoured to be a contributing author to the book, “Land of Many Shores”, editedby Dr. Ainsley Hawthorn, and published 2021.09.30 by Breakwater Books, St. John’s. My selection, “We All Are Different”, a.k.a. “Danny’s Story”, centered around Danny from 1980 to the present. The anthology features 25 writers who share their essays about life in Newfoundland and Labrador from often-neglected viewpoints, e.g., Indigenous People, cultural minorities, LGBTQ+, people living with mental or physical disabilities.

On 23 February 2022, I was truly surprised to learn of our Executive Director’s resignation, but sincerely respect her decision to move on. As I have said on a number of previous occasions, Hope has done exemplary work for Inclusion Canada Newfoundland and Labrador, and our progress has been remarkable, in so many directions, during the past three years. In closing, for now, thank you, Hope, for your many valuable contributions to our 66-year-old association. Best wishes in your new position. There undoubtedly will be connections between you and us as we move forward.

Finally, a sincere thank you to our Board, Executive, ED Hope, Office Staff, and Supporters, for your many and diverse contributions.

Dennis Pilley’s Island